"Chief Mu, you aren't too shocked, are you?" Lin Qian asked with a smile, noticing the stunned expression on Mu Houde's face.
Standing beside him, Mu Liangxing stammered, "Y-Your Majesty... Ten thousand cloudships seems like a lot, doesn't it?"
"Only ten thousand? Is that really so many?" Lin Qian chuckled when he saw the astonished looks of the group, realizing what was going through their minds. "I see now. The cloudships currently in use are the most basic models, much smaller. The ones you've seen before must have been higher-tier ships, much larger in size."
Hearing Lin Qian's explanation, Mu Houde and the others finally began to calm down. They realized it made sense.
The cloudships in Huaxia Empire were designed for the general public, while the cloudships owned by the major clans in the Western Continent were reserved for the elite and likely much grander.
"Your Majesty, it's time for you and your guests to board the cloudship," a young woman in a graceful uniform said respectfully, bowing to Lin Qian.
"Let's go, everyone," Lin Qian nodded, rising from his seat to lead the group. As he passed by the young woman, she suddenly bowed deeply, her face flushed red.
"Y-Your Majesty, c-could I have... your signature?" she asked nervously, too shy to meet his eyes.
Lin Qian chuckled, amused by the request. "Of course!"
With a flick of his finger, Lin Qian gathered moisture from the air, using his soul power to write in the air as though with an invisible brush. In a few graceful strokes, the characters for "Renhuang Wudi" (Benevolent Emperor Martial Sovereign) appeared, elegantly inscribed on the back of the woman's uniform.
After Lin Qian and his entourage departed, the woman stood still, her eyes wide with excitement. "The rumors were true! The Emperor really is approachable."
A short while later, Lin Qian and the others arrived at the cloudship boarding area. As they gazed up at the massive vessel hovering in the air, Mu Houde and the others felt their legs go weak.
"Y-Your Majesty, is this really the most basic cloudship?" Even Mu Houde, who had seen his fair share of wonders, could barely speak, his voice trembling with disbelief as he turned to Lin Qian.
Lin Qian nodded casually, "Yes, this is indeed the most basic model of cloudship."
Hearing Lin Qian's confirmation, Mu Houde and the others gulped, still unable to fully process what they were seeing.
They had assumed that since Lin Qian described these cloudships as the "most basic," they would be much smaller than the luxurious vessels owned by the powerful clans they had seen before. Yet, the massive ship before them dwarfed those vessels like a whale compared to a small fish in a stream.
Not only that, but the sleek white and blue design of the cloudship made it look as if it were born to soar through the skies. Its clean and elegant appearance only added to its grandeur.
The cloudship had numerous elevated platforms that people were boarding from, and Mu Houde and the others could see countless passengers casually walking aboard, their expressions calm and unperturbed by the sight of such a colossal ship.
Only a few, presumably first-time passengers, let out exclamations of awe, while some excited children shouted and cheered.
Seeing this scene, Lin Qian couldn't help but smile from the bottom of his heart. This was exactly what he envisioned for his empire.
Why should this world remain so selfish and brutal, where people only cared about their own cultivation and fought each other to the death over treasures, embodying the law of the jungle?
Lin Qian was determined to change that, to transform this primitive world into one with a highly developed civilization of cultivation.
Coming to this new world, Lin Qian wasn't satisfied with merely becoming the most powerful ruler under heaven.
"I will change the world!"
With that unwavering determination in his eyes, Lin Qian stepped confidently onto the cloudship.
Mu Houde and the others followed closely behind, their hearts filled with emotion as they entered the massive vessel, ten times larger than any they had ever seen before.
Lin Qian's earlier words echoed in their minds: "This is just the most basic cloudship."
Thanks to Lin Qian's status, the Mu Ling Clan was given the finest accommodations on the cloudship, staying in luxurious business suites. Though they didn't quite understand what "business suite" meant, they were astounded by the spacious rooms they were assigned.
The wide sitting room, illuminated by Huaxia's unique spirit lamps, was bright and welcoming. The soft beds, complete with a large bath for washing, were far beyond anything Mu Houde could have imagined. Compared to the worn, decrepit ship they had used to cross the ocean, it was as if they had stepped into a dream. He had never imagined traveling could be this comfortable.
Moreover, Lin Qian had said that the cloudship could travel at the speed of a Saint Realm expert, reaching its destination in just half an hour—truly incredible.
"With these cloudships, even a Nirvana Realm cultivator could travel at the speed of a Saint Realm expert. It's incredibly convenient," Mu Houde said as he sat in the luxurious room, looking at his son. "Liangxing, have you noticed that His Majesty, as the ruler of a powerful force, is unlike the other leaders we've seen? He doesn't seem to make the empire serve him, but instead thinks of how to serve every single person in the empire."
"Whether it's the Ministry of Transportation or the everyday aspects of Huaxia life, everything seems designed to benefit each citizen."
Mu Liangxing nodded, glancing at his father. "While you were recovering, Father, I've been learning more about His Majesty's vision. From what I've gathered, the most important thing to him is the people of Huaxia. Every citizen is like a brick that builds the empire. If only a few are strong, the empire will be nothing more than a fragile shell. But if every brick is strong, then the empire will be unbeatable."
"The stronger the empire, the more His Majesty gains in return. When I understood His Majesty's thinking, I was amazed by his foresight. His vision is truly extraordinary," Mu Liangxing said, his admiration for Lin Qian clear in his eyes.
Mu Houde nodded, smiling at his son. "I feel the same way. The greatest fortune of my life was saving those three human cultivators and coming to this empire to become part of the Huaxia people."
"And now, I can't wait to see just how powerful this empire will become." Mu Houde stood, clenching his fists. "The Mu Ling Clan will live up to His Majesty's expectations. We will be the generation that rewrites our clan's history."